50 – Hammād narrated from Ibrāhīm, from al-Aswad, from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): When the Prophet ﷺ fell ill with the sickness in which he passed away, the pain eased a little. When the time for prayer arrived he said to ʿĀʾishah, “Tell Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” ʿĀʾishah sent word to Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructs you to lead the people in prayer.”

He replied, “My daughter, I am an old, soft-hearted man; if I do not see the Messenger of Allah ﷺ standing in his place, I become overwhelmed. Gather you and Ḥafṣah (may Allah be pleased with her) with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and let him send for ʿUmar so that he may lead them.” ʿĀʾishah did so, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “You are the companions of Joseph! Instruct Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.”

When the call to prayer was announced and the Prophet ﷺ heard the muʾadhdhin saying, “Come to the prayer,” he said, “Raise me up.” ʿĀʾishah said, “I have already ordered Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer, and you have an excuse.” He replied, “Raise me up, for the coolness of my eyes has been placed in the prayer.”

ʿĀʾishah continued: He was lifted between two men, his feet dragging on the ground. When Abū Bakr heard the movement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ he stepped back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured to him to remain. The Prophet ﷺ then sat to the left of Abū Bakr; the Prophet pronounced the takbīr, Abū Bakr echoed the takbīr, and the people followed Abū Bakr’s takbīr until the prayer was finished. After that he did not lead the people in any other prayer before he passed away; Abū Bakr was the imam while the Prophet ﷺ was ill until he died.

Hammād narrated from Hammād, from Ibrāhīm, who said: “A person born out of zinā, a slave, and a Bedouin may lead the congregation provided he can recite the Qur’an.”